Japanese Denim Everyday Tote — Compact

Double review for:
- Japanese Denim Everyday Tote
- Redline Selvedge Japanese Denim Tote

It was with a little bit of trepidation that I bought these 2 totes as informal gifts for a dear benefactor friend. I often see her use some old and partially torn plastic tote that shops give free with purchase, so I wanted to give her something better. But I am always a bit nervous when choosing gifts for her because she has very discerning tastes, coming from a highly talented and skilled background in the music, arts and crafts fields (she has a master’s degree in Opera Performing Arts from her country’s national music conservatory, is a choir conductor and all-around musician, performs voice acting, is a recording/mixing audio engineer, does choreography, worked in the high-end fashion industry, designed and sewed her own wedding dress, designs and builds stages and props for plays and events, etc.).

So the day comes for me to give her the gifts. I approached her, totes in hand, and I timidly said, “I got you these totes because— ". I didn’t even get a chance to finish the sentence. She had started to eye the totes in my hand at the beginning of my sentence. Then at mid-sentence her eyes lit up, her jaw dropped, she lunged forward, and literally yanked the totes out of my hand, all smiles. She said, “These are REALLY NICE, I really like them! Thank you!” (I marveled at how she came to that conclusion in literally 2 seconds!) Then she proceeded to carefully inspect each tote, noting the distinctive features of each, commenting on how neat, unique, and functional each is, how she’ll use them, and what she’ll carry inside. She proceeded to thank me profusely again, all giddy like a kid with a new little treasure. She started using them the very next day and beams when carrying them.

Thank you Wabi Sabi Shop!
Joseph T.

PS: I stumbled onto the Wabi Sabi Shop website by accident a little less than 2 years ago. At first, I was curious about the shop’s take on the wabi-sabi philosophy as merchant and as writer in its communications, and so signed up for the shop’s newsletters.

I read every newsletter I received, and during the first few months thought the topics were whimsical or interesting in a trivia-wise manner though overall forgettable. But over time, the newsletters’ simple prose style, philosophy, and topics gradually did something to me—they reached out and gently grabbed something in my heart…

Now, every time I see a Wabi Sabi Shop newsletter in my inbox, a little spark of joy lights up in me and I can’t wait to read it. It’s the only thing in my inbox that gives me this reaction. I cherish each newsletter like a tiny secret treasure. At first, I thought this was because the newsletters changed over time to match my interests, fancies, and life philosophy. But now I strongly suspect the newsletters did not change—rather, they helped bring to the surface in me the simple but beautiful things and ideas I yearn for in this very materialistic, noisy, greedy modern world that has tempted me with its false charms. Thank you—for reminding me to slow down, for showing me true simple beauty, and for inspiring me to think and live in a simpler but better way.

I can see that the shop and newsletters are labors of love and joy for you. I wish you the best fortunes and blessings. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!